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Napper's public workshop fosters friendships

Posted on April 30, 2017

Michael Napper's six-session workshop, The Art of Visual Journaling, wrapped up on Saturday, April 29, resulting in a lot of creative output plus unexpected new friendships.

Late in 2016, Napper facilitated a similar workshop during the week for the artists working in Creativity Explored's studios. We had so much fun that Michael offered to run the workshop again, this time on Saturdays so that the sessions could be open to the public.

Participants practiced painting, printing, stamp-making, and monotyping, and were assisted in their efforts by Creativity Explored artists Joseph "JD" Green and Gerald Wiggins.

"Gerald, JD, and I would meet the week before each session to go over the plan," Napper recounts. "They'd make suggestions for getting people to interact, and we tried them out. Having them in on the process really helped forge connections in the class. They helped people relax, get comfortable taking chances. The whole workshop was a real bonding experience."

One participant, Wynne Leung said, "It's really difficult to explain it. . . it was just magical," noting that Napper, Green, and Wiggins created a space for "vulnerability and openness" so that she and the other participants were able to build relationships that will last long after the last session finishes.

"The most interesting thing was teaching strategies that over time artists have come up with to tap into the unknown, the unusual, to summon serendipity," Napper said. "Especially for people who aren’t in the art world, it was like bringing a game into the artmaking process. It helped loosen people up because there was a sense of play."